Carter's Grove
This is a proposed rezoning on Spriggs Road across from Hylton High School and Saunders Middle School. More info here: http://eservice.pwcgov.org/planning/documents/REZ2016-00006.pdf
Update 12/6/17: The revised MIDCO letter is below. The applicant has submitted a third version of the project. One key change was to reduce the housing density- five homes have been removed from the plan and lot sizes have been increased near the adjoining homes. The average density remains twice that recommended for this parcel in the Comprehensive Plan.
MIDCO letter to the BOCS:
December 4, 2017
Dear Board Of County Supervisors,
This letter is in response to the Carter’s Grove rezoning request (REZ2016-200006). After having hosted the applicant and heard from area residents including the neighboring Holly Forest HOA, we have come to the following conclusions and recommendation:
- The housing density requested is far in excess of what the Comprehensive Plan recommends for semi-rural residential (more than double) and is higher than the density of the surrounding community. The Comprehensive Plan calls for one home per 2.5 acres on average and the surrounding community is at 1.9 acres per home average lot size, while this project would be 1.2 acres per home on average. The result is that the project doesn’t fit into the surrounding community and is not what the county staff and the community envisioned for this area. The density also exacerbates the stormwater issues of the surrounding community. The excessive density results in more impervious surfaces and clear-cutting which results in more and faster water flow onto the downstream neighbors.
- There have been claims of a “density bonus” in return for providing public water and sewer to the project. There is no such “density bonus” in the Comprehensive Plan or Zoning Ordinance, and the cluster option ostensibly employed here is designed to promote open space by allowing smaller building lots while maintaining the overall maximum density recommendations. It is not designed and should not be used to facilitate extreme housing density. This project would not meet the spirit or letter of the Comprehensive Plan.
- The extreme density requested, if approved, would directly affect future density negotiations in the semi-rural area between applicants and the community and would therefore affect the quality of life of all mid county residents.
- The project is not acceptable to nearby residents we’ve heard from. They have issues with stormwater runoff, housing density and impervious surfaces, and protection of open space areas to name a few. As always, we respect the opinions and desires of the local community, which seem clear in this particular situation.
- Planned protected open space is included on residential lots. This is an undesirable situation in that there is no realistic way to prohibit clearing or construction in those areas after the lots are sold.
Unless the applicant agrees to work with the community to better address issues including stormwater runoff and open space and reduce the housing density, we ask that you deny this application.
Martin Jeter
MIDCO
Below is a letter inviting the Carter's Grove applicant to the August MIDCO meeting:
July 25, 2016
Harry V. Carter, Jr.
HC Land Company LC
Dear Sir,
At the recent Planning Commission meeting your project (REZ2016-00006) was recommended to be moved forward with the stipulation that before the Board Of County Supervisors public hearing you work with the community to resolve two areas of concern with your project as proposed- protection of the environmental resources on the property and excessive overall residential housing density. We would like to formally invite you to the August MIDCO meeting in an effort to help you satisfy that condition by having a dialogue with the community and making changes to the project that will address the related concerns. The meeting will be held August 18th at 7pm in room 107 of the Development Services Building at One County Complex Court. Please advise whether or not you can attend.
Respectfully,
Martin Jeter
MIDCO